Heaven-not-Harvard

Update....Feast of St Pio!

It would seem that so many of you are so loving, you worry about how we are doing.   We are amazed at God's power and mercy.  I am personally exhausted, it seems that all I want is sleep.  Stress I hear is very tiring.  I think that may be a HUGE understatement!!!!!

    Bill is....... PRAISE GOD, working and getting more hours than we can fill.  It has been so long for us, since he has had gainful employment, that it seems to good to be true.  To see him so happy to be going to work makes me cry.

The children are witnessing God's care and protection and truly what more could I want for them.  They are seeing people we do not even know send money to help us!  They are hearing the prayers and cry of the poor answered!  They are living and breathing what they hear at mass in the gospels.  You all are giving this to my children.  You all are being such witness of our faith.  How can I ever thank you enough for your witness, faith and love to my children.  What a beautiful and moving testament to our shared faith. 

I know that in a few days this will all settle down, we will be able to stay here at Oliver Hill, but I will never, ever forget the gift of prayer and faith that has saved us from despair. 

Matthew 25:34-40

Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:

36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.

Or todays Psalms.....

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:

Can we say Amen?

"If I Were Not A Catholic ..." by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

. "If I were not a Catholic, and were looking for the true Church in the world today, I would look for the one Church which did not get along well with the world; in other words, I would look for the Church which the world hated. My reason for doing this would be, that if Christ is in any one of the churches of the world today, He must still be hated as He was when He was on earth in the flesh. If you would find Christ today, then find the Church that does not get along with the world. Look for the Church that is hated by the world as Christ was hated by the world. Look for the Church that is accused of being behind the times, as our Lord was accused of being ignorant and never having learned. Look for the Church which men sneer at as socially inferior, as they sneered at Our Lord because He came from Nazareth. Look for the Church which is accused of having a devil, as Our Lord was accused of being possessed by Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils. Look
for the Church which, in seasons of bigotry, men say must be destroyed in the name of God as men crucified Christ and thought they had done a service to God. Look for the Church which the world rejects because it claims it is infallible, as Pilate rejected Christ because He called Himself the Truth. Look for the Church which is rejected by the world as Our Lord was rejected by men. Look for the Church which amid the confusions of conflicting opinions, its members love as they love Christ, and respect its Voice as the very voice of its Founder, and the suspicion will grow, that if the Church is unpopular with the spirit of the world, then it is unworldly, and if it is unworldly it is other worldly. since it is other-worldly, it is infinitely loved and infinitely hated as was Christ Himself. But only that which is Divine can be infinitely hated and infinitely loved. Therefore the Church is Divine." Taken from Radio Replies, Vol. 1, p IX, Rumble & Carty, Tan Publishing

Save us from all anxiety!

No wonder this is prayed at every mass.  Anxiety is so powerful, it robs one of all peace.  I would ask today that all who read this will pray for my anxiety and literally hundreds of others who have written  me in need of help.   

This plea of help I sent out, has brought about a life of its own.  We are be so blessed with donations, I cannot keep track, (we have an attroney doing this) and it has brought to my attention how many other Catholic families are caught up in this huge collaspe of the mortgage industry.  The numbers are staggering!   It has made my heart heavy, I know that I can do very little for them, but I am looking and praying about what the Lord is asking of me.  Now that I have been blessed, what is my role in helping others.  Faith without works is indeed dead!   

Please pray for all these dear families today!  Please offer your intentions to the Blessed Mother, she is waiting and capable of undoing all these knots people have themselves tied into. 

I prayed the Novena to Our LAdy Undoer of Knots, and on the 9th day, both of my intentions were answered.  They were very tangled knots, I cannot, nor will I stop telling everyone I know about Our Mothers powereful and miraculous intersession.    You can purschase the novena packet here and I will also copy and add it to my side bar as soon as I figure out how to do that!

Ave MAria!

Molly

Mother Theresa Quote

"Suffering has to come because if you look at the cross, he has got is head bending down - he wants to kiss you - and he has both hands open wide - he wants to embrace you. He has his heart opened wide to receive you. Then when you feel miserable inside, look at the cross and you will know what is happening. Suffering, pain, sorrow, humiliation, feelings of loneliness, are nothing but the kiss of Jesus, a sign that you have come so close that he can kiss you...Suffering, pain, humiliation - this is the kiss of Jesus."

What consolation for me today!

Look who I got to meet

Well the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross started off pretty rough over here.  Just when I thought I was about to explode, my neighbor called to remind me of the blessing of the cornerstone of our new cathedral.  Now this did not excite me, as the cathedral is not exactly something most of us here locally think is needed.  However, when she told me Cardinal Arinze was going to be blessing it.......well then that was something to get the children to see.  We had been canning tomatos, grapes and apples all day, we where rather sticky, but I was determined.  We went looking a bit dissheveled and we were delighted that we were able to meet and talk with the Cardinal for a few minutes.   When we were driving there I was kicking myself that I did not bring the camera,luckily there were some other friends there who saw us talking to him and attempted to snap a few shots. 

UNfortunaltly this one is after he was walking away and you cannot see the other children.   Someday, I believe he will be our next Pope, so we were sooooooo excited to meet him and kiss his ring.  What a loving and humble servant.

You can read here the local right up.  No pictures, I will try to add more later.  I need to wrangle them from  a friend.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Roodmas)

Adoramus te, christe, et benedicimus tibi,
quia per crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
for by thy cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Fishing at the FI

We had the most wonderful, relaxing retreat.  We went to the Franciscans Of the Immaculate for a late summer get away.  If you are not familiar with this order I highly recommend looking them up.  They have literally restored our souls and given new birth to our faith.  These men preach without compromise.  They are all for the Immaculate, they are holding up our church one friar at a time.  My only complaint is there are not more friarys around the country,  They are in several countries, perhaps I should go to Italy.......ahhhhhh dreaming again.

While there we had the most wonderful time fishing and taking nature hikes.  Nothing like squeezing a little science into our vacation.

Prayer of St Bernard

PRAYER OF ST. BERNARD :

When I feel myself tossed about in the sea of this world amidst storms and tempests, I keep my eyes fixed on you, O Mary, shining star, lest I be swallowed up by the waves.

When the winds of temptation arise, when I dash against the reefs of tribulations, I raise my eyes to you and call upon you, O Mary.

When I am agitated by the billows of pride, ambition, slander or jealousy, I look to you and I invoke you, O Mary;

when anger or avarice or the seductions of the flesh rock the fragile little barque of my soul, I always look to you, O Mary.

And if I am troubled by the enormity of my sins, troubled in conscience, frightened at the severity of judgment, and if I should feel myself engulfed in sadness or drawn into the abyss of despair, again I raise my eyes to you, always calling on you, O Mary.

In dangers, in difficulties, in doubts, I will always think of you, Mary, I will always call on you.

,

Prayer of St Bernard

PRAYER OF ST. BERNARD :

When I feel myself tossed about in the sea of this world amidst storms and tempests, I keep my eyes fixed on you, O Mary, shining star, lest I be swallowed up by the waves.

When the winds of temptation arise, when I dash against the reefs of tribulations, I raise my eyes to you and call upon you, O Mary.

When I am agitated by the billows of pride, ambition, slander or jealousy, I look to you and I invoke you, O Mary;

when anger or avarice or the seductions of the flesh rock the fragile little barque of my soul, I always look to you, O Mary.

And if I am troubled by the enormity of my sins, troubled in conscience, frightened at the severity of judgment, and if I should feel myself engulfed in sadness or drawn into the abyss of despair, again I raise my eyes to you, always calling on you, O Mary.

In dangers, in difficulties, in doubts, I will always think of you, Mary, I will always call on you.

Birthday of the Blessed Mother

Join us in honoring our dear Mother on her birthday, She who from her conception was full of grace, sinless and pure.  Our dear Mother waits for us all patiently, let us all gather to offer her our dearest Mother a simple birthday gift.   A simple heart felt Ave for the intentions of our Holy Father Benedict XVl. 

Here is a lovely prayer to guide our prayers to the Infant Mary.

Prayer to Maria Bambina (Baby Mary)

Hail, Infant Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou forever, and blessed are thy holy parents Joachim and Anne, of whom thou wast miraculously born. Mother of God, intercede for us.

We fly to thy patronage, holy and amiable Child Mary, despise not our prayers in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, glorious and blessed Virgin.

V. Pray for us, holy Child Mary.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us Pray: O almighty and merciful God, Who through the cooperation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the Immaculate Infant Mary that she might be the worthy Mother of Thy Son, and didst preserve her from all stain, grant that we who venerate with all our hearts her most holy childhood, may be freed, through her merits and intercession, from all uncleanness of mind and body, and be able to imitate her perfect humility, obedience and charity. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.